Correction: Budget Autonomy story

By -
Associated Press -
Wednesday, May 14, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a story May 13 about a lawsuit over District of Columbia budget autonomy, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the referendum granting the District government more freedom to spend local tax dollars was approved by voters in 2012. It was approved in 2013.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Arguments set in DC budget autonomy lawsuit

DC government branches to argue against each other in budget autonomy case

WASHINGTON (AP) - Oral arguments are underway in a lawsuit that’s pitting one branch of District of Columbia government against another.

Attorney General Irvin Nathan will argue against lawyers for the D.C. Council in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. Nathan represents Mayor Vincent Gray, who was sued by the Council over his refusal to follow a referendum that proponents say gives the city control over its local tax dollars.

The District government can’t spend money without authorization by Congress. Both Gray and the council support what’s known as budget autonomy, but the mayor believes the referendum doesn’t give him that power. It was approved by voters last year and added to the city charter after Congress didn’t intervene. But the investigative arm of Congress has said it has “no legal effect.”